Ported 266xp , it will handle a 24 - 32” fulll skip , cut all day long and ask for more , 
What is your favorite chainsaw of all time?
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Conner_ERT52
New Member
Husqvarna 3120XP
Sachs Dolmar 117. Bought it new in 84 and still use it.
S
S
Wow, you all are animals, lol! A 500i as your favorite go to? My experience is very limited going back to the late 70's when I was 12... Dad busted out the Stihl and said "It's about time you learned" and we cut down about 3 24+" Birch and two rotten Poplar in Iron County Wisconsin. I was hooked. First was the lean, then the wind, the notch and back cut. Then limbing, cut to size, stack in the sun, split with a maul once seasoned. The Stihl died shortly thereafter (been in use every summer for 5 years or so, can't remember the model) and then he got the Sachs Dolmar 112. Shorter blade, took a little extra work especially on one huge but short yellow birch.... Anyway, with my limited experience, my favorite saw is still that Sachs Dolmar 112 and I could swear he bought it in 1980 or 81 in Park Falls Wisconsin. It's just a 16" bar and I replaced the coil with the Makita once the points gave out or and obviously replaced the bar and chain. Love this thing! It just runs and runs. Saw was hot as heck when I took that pic, chain is not that loose. 
I sold a 670 champ a few months back. I might have another
stepmeister
New Member
Well, my favourite chainsaw is just one: Husqvarna 51, it has a high sentimental value to me. It was my second chainsaw ever used, after a 65, almost 25 years ago.
Brand new in 1998, I have an unknown numbers of items in workshop, at least 7 or 8. The original one is still running, very used in the family. Another one is completely stock and in very good condition, almost like new. A third one mounts a debarker and it is a little ported. Another one mounts a Stihl 028S piston and a 46mm cylinder. Two more are ported and muffler modded. There is a couple of dead ones that I use for spare parts. Others are "work in progress" experiments when I found some freetime. Simple, rough, sturdy and almost impossible to kill. I love all of them.
Brand new in 1998, I have an unknown numbers of items in workshop, at least 7 or 8. The original one is still running, very used in the family. Another one is completely stock and in very good condition, almost like new. A third one mounts a debarker and it is a little ported. Another one mounts a Stihl 028S piston and a 46mm cylinder. Two more are ported and muffler modded. There is a couple of dead ones that I use for spare parts. Others are "work in progress" experiments when I found some freetime. Simple, rough, sturdy and almost impossible to kill. I love all of them.
My old 044 that I bought in the early 80's. That thing never let me down and it would still be here with me if she had not gotten burned alive when my shop burned down last Dec. What a saw she was, never did anything to her but change bars and chains and a pull cord or two. Never ate anything but pump gas and Stihl oil and bar lube. I think I did change a spark plug one time. It always started on the third pull, hot or cold and had enough power I never had any reason to do any porting or other mods. If this new 400 cm and the 261 I just bought last half as long as that old saw, I'm fine with that because I'll most likely be dead by then anyway.
Cascadiest
New Member
I may not have experience with as many different saws as some, but I've got a first year (1989) Stihl 026 handed down from my dad, and I wouldn't trade that saw for anything. It was running a little rough when I adopted it, but all it took was a thorough cleaning and readjusting the carb settings (threw on a new sugi bar, too. it was still useable, but it was overdue) for it to get back to running smooth and cutting fast and clean.
My go to saw is my 357 xp . 2nd choice my Dolkita 7900 for any large hardwood .
MMG
ArboristSite Operative
I still have my Dad’s 117. What a great saw. I had I rebuilt once because it was old. It needs rebuilt again because I’m an idiot. It was cold (in the teens) and it was SCREAMING!!__until it wasn’t. I’ve learned a lot since then. I’ll get it built again…..as a tribute to Dad.
My Dad’s Sachs Dolmar 117 is my favorite saw!
Wayne Koch
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My favorite saw,if i can only choose one would have to be the husky 353.Perfect power to weight and cuts through anything you throw at it.Sadly,i dont own one anymore but i am curious about the 268xp or the 266xp.i have never owned a Jonsered saw but would love to try one of their mid size saws,i just sold a Dolmar 120 super,great saw but parts were getting really hard to find
Husqvarna 372XPW the one with the 75cc top end, and ported at that. My second favorite was a Sachs Dolmar bought new in 1987.
Tony Mayhew
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Yes sir! I hear ya loud and clear! I have a Husqvarna 266xp from Slavaina Yugoslavia and it is a kick in the ass to run in old growth Douglas fir.I did an exaust mod and changed the stock 224 carb to a 255 off of a 272K demo saw and that made it sing a beautiful tune!
Sierra_rider
Piss revver
I don't think I could get along with only 1 saw, but to play the game...it'd be between 3 of my saws to be the keeper.
My 372xpw purely for sentimental attachement...I've had it for years and it was my first falling saw. The power/weight ratio is good enough to be a keeper, and I can't fault the air filtration or AV.
My most likely candidate is my ms400. I've ported it, swapped the guts from a 461R oiler, and put a wrap handle on it. It usually runs a 28" lwb, but is totally capable of a 32". I contend that it's the most versatile saw in my line up, you can cut brush with it or fall trees with it.
My other possible "lifetime" saw candidate would be my 500i. I've done quite a bit of work to it, I machined the cylinder to run an 066 piston, the power is awesome on this. Weighs less than some brands 70cc offerings and will out-cut non-ported 90cc saws. The downside for me is the air filter. I'm running a Max-flow, the stock filter is atrocious...even with the Max-flow, filter cleanings are very frequent. This alone makes me prefer the "air-injected" saws like the 400, 462, Huskies, etc.
My 372xpw purely for sentimental attachement...I've had it for years and it was my first falling saw. The power/weight ratio is good enough to be a keeper, and I can't fault the air filtration or AV.
My most likely candidate is my ms400. I've ported it, swapped the guts from a 461R oiler, and put a wrap handle on it. It usually runs a 28" lwb, but is totally capable of a 32". I contend that it's the most versatile saw in my line up, you can cut brush with it or fall trees with it.
My other possible "lifetime" saw candidate would be my 500i. I've done quite a bit of work to it, I machined the cylinder to run an 066 piston, the power is awesome on this. Weighs less than some brands 70cc offerings and will out-cut non-ported 90cc saws. The downside for me is the air filter. I'm running a Max-flow, the stock filter is atrocious...even with the Max-flow, filter cleanings are very frequent. This alone makes me prefer the "air-injected" saws like the 400, 462, Huskies, etc.
stillusingstihl
ArboristSite Lurker
Any saw that 'does the job'. I've owned/used plenty over my 43 years of cutting including Stihl, Husqvarna, Dolmar, Jonsered(Husky), Makita and various "Who Flung Dung" etc They all have their pro's and con's but as long as they 'do the job' I'm happy.
oldandjaded
New Member
Husqvarna, same as my boom sticks
266 still runs and gives a smile.
LegeaDejului
ArboristSite Lurker
That's easy. 500i. Since I got it its what I use 95% of the time. My 94 yo grandpa says it feels like a "light saw" with a 20 inch on it, no way in hell I can ever complain about its weight now or never lol.
It also feels great not having to be so anal about ethanol gas no more since it doesn't have a metering diaphragm, only a pump side with a nylon membrane that seems to be working just like new 4 years later and closing in on 2000 tanks of gas ran through it. I'm sold on the injection system on these saws, seems to be bulletproof.
For anything small I pull out my echo 2511 top handle (which I also love and I don't think I'll ever sell it), and for milling I have a dedicated 881. But yea if I'd have to sell two and keep one, the keeper would be the 500i.
It also feels great not having to be so anal about ethanol gas no more since it doesn't have a metering diaphragm, only a pump side with a nylon membrane that seems to be working just like new 4 years later and closing in on 2000 tanks of gas ran through it. I'm sold on the injection system on these saws, seems to be bulletproof.
For anything small I pull out my echo 2511 top handle (which I also love and I don't think I'll ever sell it), and for milling I have a dedicated 881. But yea if I'd have to sell two and keep one, the keeper would be the 500i.
